Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Niceil Alexander Walker meet in NBA playoffs

Follow the reporting on Thunder against Timberwolves by the Oklahoman in game 1 of the Western Conference Final in the NBA playoffs 2025.

They share a sweet tooth. You have the wingspanning of a pterodactyl. Both sports pieces under their forehead ligaments. You are stupid, but you wouldn’t know if you play them.

One is the MVP in Oklahoma City. The other hopped around before finding a home in Minnesota.

The cousins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nickeil Alexander Walker have now confronted each other 15 times in the NBA one in a game game with each other, but never in a playoff series. On Tuesday you will match in game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

Sgas thunder against Naw and the wolves.

Gilgeous-Alexander shook his head as if he were calculating the long chances.

“It is difficult to explain,” he said. “If you know how close we are, he is literally my second brother.”

Shai and Nickeil were born 52 days away. Sga’s father Vaughn and Alexander Walker’s mother Nicole are siblings.

“He took through every phase of life with me-a basketball to prepare the school to do the NBA. We have gone through every common situation,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Canadian cousins relocated the state to the preparatory school for their younger and senior -high school. She wrote down at the Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Coincidentally, Gilgeous-Alexander grew up 45 miles south of Toronto along the Ontario lake.

Shai and Nickeil lived in Chattanooga with her head basketball coach Zach Ferrell, who is now training at Ostflorida State College.

Ferrell’s eldest son was 1 when the cousins moved into his family. “Shai” was one of his son’s first words. Shai and nickeil helped to go to baby. They had normal young tasks on how to clean their rooms and take care of the dog. In her first year in Chattanooga, Ferrell let her hand in her phones for the night at 10:30 p.m.

“They shared beds that were feet apart, and they literally put together in Tennessee for two years,” Ferrell told The Oklahoman. “Could be as close as two people.”

Shai and Nickeil were an extensive part of the Ferrell family for these years.

“These two, the relationship is much lower than coaches/players,” said Ferrell. “I am very proud of who became men, husbands and fathers, and then it is great to see what they could do on the pitch.

“Obviously you have to have some things to do with this level, but what both Nickeil and Shai had was a very focused mind on the goals they wanted to achieve. Every basketball child grows up and wanted to play in the NBA, but they had the discipline on and next to the dish to give themselves the opportunity to do so.”

Gilgeous-Alexander went from Hamilton Heights to Kentucky and Alexander Walker to Virginia Tech. According to the 247Sports Composite, SGA was the 33rd rank player in the 2017 recruitment class. Alexander Walker was 44 ..

Gilgeous-Alexander went one and forth as a wildcat. Alexander Walker played two seasons for the Hokies.

SGA was drafted in the 2018 draft. Naw was taken 17th a year later.

You know the path of Gilgeous-Alexander. A year with the clipper before thunder, he stormed him from La in Paul George. He will win MVP this season-in his third top 5 MVP finish in just as many years.

Alexander Walker has never been a full-time starter. Or a full-time resident of an NBA city. He has already traveled every quadrant of the Western Conference – from New Orleans to Utah to Minnesota, where he has spent parts of the last three seasons.

Last summer, the cousins played together in Team Canada at the Olympic Games.

“It is something special for both of us,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It is even more special to compete against each other.”

Alexander Walker was an iron man for the wolves and played in 82 games in two seasons. In 25 minutes per game this season, Alexander Walker scored an average of 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 38% from the 3-point range at 4.5 experiments per game.

In contrast to the nuggets, the Timberwolves have three reserves, which they trust-a ground distance center in Naz Reid together with Donte Divincenzo and Alexander Walker, two dynamic guards.

“These boys in particular give a goal from the bank,” said Thunder trainer Mark Daignult on Monday after training. “Reid is a very unique matchup, especially on the bench. Divincincenzo comes hot, he is ready to play every single evening. Alexander Walker is a great two-end player for her who plays with a really good offensive self-confidence.

Alexander Walker now knows all the tricks of Gilgeous-Alexander, but that doesn’t mean that he can contain his cousin.

They are blood, but they are also according to blood.

“I’m sure to take my head,” said Gilgeous-Alexander with a grin.

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Do you have a story idea for Joe? E -mail him [email protected]. Support JOE’s work and other Oklahoman journalists by buying A Digital subscription today at subcribe.oklahoman.com.

Western conference finals: Donner against Timberwolves

Game 1: 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Paycom Center, ESPN (Best-of-Seven series)

(Tagstotranslate) Shai

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Niceil Alexander Walker meet in NBA playoffs

ByAmelia Journalton

Western conference finals: Donner against Timberwolves

By Amelia Journalton

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